Philadelphia Daily News Interview

'Twilight' star finds uneasy fit with fame.
(Dani's favorite interview so far, I know I say that  a lot but read it, he is truly fascinating.)

By EMMA GREENBERG 
Philadelphia Daily News 

"Twilight" star Rob Pattinson was only a short time into his heartthrob publicity tour when he arrived in Philadelphia last week, and the magnitude of his role as teenage vampire Edward Cullen was already getting to him. 

Not quite a typical It guy, the 22-year-old actor wasn't exactly oozing charisma or confidence. 

In two hours he would be facing 1,000 shrieking fans at the King of Prussia Mall, but in his suite at the Four Seasons Hotel he cringed at every mention of the word fame. 

The London-born actor bashfully stared at the floor and ran his fingers through his now infamous hair as he answered questions about the cultlike following of "Twilight"-obsessed teenage girls and their mothers. 

"It's really strange when you go from like no one caring to people going like, 'Oh yeah, I saw that guy from 'Twilight' being an idiot.' I mean, it's strange," Pattinson mused. Refusing to make eye contact or even use the first person when discussing his outrageously successful press tour, Pattinson tried to disassociate himself from his character. 

But that might be impossible. 

Thanks to his role as Edward, Pattinson has already attracted a fan base of thousands of teenage girls willing to camp out in the rain for hours for a two-second encounter. 

He is trying not to let it go to his head. 

"So many young people who get a big hit kind of get hyped up," he said. "They start to believe their own hype and then everyone starts to, like, cut them down immediately. And I just feel like I'm being propelled by something I have absolutely no control over. 

" . . . I always feel like I'm going to get my head cut off." 

The intensity of the past few weeks confuses him. Dressed in black jeans, a nondescript black jacket, black leather Nikes and a white(ish) T-shirt, Pattinson looks more like a gawky, shy, awkward teen (albeit with perfect bone structure and no acne) than the brooding vampire the "Twilight" legion wants him to be. 

He got a taste of life in the spotlight after playing Cedric Diggory in two Harry Potter movies, but then he "squandered away" his Harry Potter momentum and just hung out with some L.A. waitresses until returning home to London. That's where he was when he landed "Twilight," living with his best friend in a tiny apartment with one chair, a TV, and homemade furniture. 

"It was so cool," he said nostalgically. "You had to walk through a restaurant kitchen to get up to the roofs but you could like walk along all the roofs . . . I didn't do anything for a year, I just sat on the roof and played music . . . it was like the best time I had ever had. 

"I never set out to be an actor," Pattinson offered as an explanation of why he isn't worried about failing. "Though I'd be quite annoyed if it fell apart, because I quite enjoy doing it." 

Before acting, he imagined a very different life. Pattinson planned on going to the prestigious London School of Economics to study international relations and politics. He ended up making Harry Potter movies instead, which gobbled up years of his teen life. 

"It went on for so long," he said, "I didn't have to decide what to do and I didn't have to do any exams or anything. It seemed like a really easy option." 

After his time off "doing nothing," Pattinson tried to reignite his acting career in part because he needed some structure. 

"I guess I must have matured a little bit last year," Pattinson reflected, laughing. "And I guess maybe I missed school and I missed kind of working in a structured way and so I started looking at scripts and acting in a very structured way. I forced myself to feel like I was working." 

Besides the movie-star thing, Pattinson is also trying screenwriting. He has already written a few scripts, the most recent one about the slave trade. And he wants to have a production company by the time he is 26. 

"I guess I'm just a control freak," he said. "I don't like the way the film industry is . . . If you come with a good script and then it goes to the studios and gets financing, it all gets changed because they want to make money. And it's like, how do you know if it's going to make money or not? All you're doing is making it generic when you do that, and making it generic is no guarantee that it's going to make money either. 

"The only way to abandon that is to take risks," he added passionately. "And you need to be able to trust people. So you get a company together with people you know are good and you know work hard and you can make good stuff. That's kind of what I want to do." 

But for now, Pattinson must get through the "Twilight" of his young career. 

He said all the press is tiring and he has "an overwhelming urge to say something really terrible" every time he has to face 1,000 screaming 14-year-olds. He has been traveling with the same bag of clothes since he was in Italy almost a month ago. 

"It's weird how odd your clothes start to smell," he confessed, half-seriously. 

His character's loner image seems to ring true in his own personal life as well. 

"I'm good at disappearing," he said. "I don't have too much of a problem with it. There's hardly anyone I want to speak to . . . I spend most of the time just avoiding phone calls, just avoiding everything." 

34 comments:

Ellie said...

Nice interview, but I have one question: Don't some hotels have laundry service, or something??

Lynn said...

Ellie---I was just thinking the same thing...but Rob's probably paranoid that his gamey clothes might end up on Ebay (I'm sorry Mr. Pattinson, we just seem to have misplaced your black jeans).

Said British boy needs a wardrobe mistress or an assistant who can guard his black suitcae.

Jewels64 said...

He is so fucking smart! God i love that he has looks and brains! This guy just rattles my cage!

Dani, nice job on this one! I can see why you like this interview so much!

Jewels64 said...

Hi ladies! Nice to see ya!

Ellie said...

I'm sure with all the success that Twilight's having, Rob will have no problems getting his production company started--RobStu Productions, anyone?

Jewels64 said...

Ellie, i was thinking the exact same thing! How funny! Did you make it through church okay this a.m.? I was exhausted by everyone from church (who is on facebook) kept coming up and asking me what i thought about Twlight the movie!

Eva said...

I love this interview, it's a lot different then most of his other ones.

I think his problem with not finding a gf it might be that he loves to be alone and to do his own things and I don't know many girls(at his age) who can deal with someone so deep, complicated and a bit of a loner as Rob.

He is just so incredibly smart,talanted and hot!

Ellie said...

Jule~~Yeah, I made it. Went to bed at 2 and got up at 8. This damn blog's going to wear me down! Can't get enough of my Robsession!!! hahaha I already have had laryngitis for 5 days or so, now... My class laughs at me!:(

The church's furnace wasn't working right and it felt cold as hell(get it? church and cold as hell?? lol)*groans*

Anywho, Rob should be able to do any film he likes, now.

Ellie said...

Jule~~ Beavis and Buthead?? Email??? :)

Ellie said...

forgot the s in "Jules"...oops!

Jewels64 said...

I have to take a nap. Damn, listening to the Twilight soundtrack (one track mind me!) right now...Never think!

Rob...Rob...Rob...Rob...Rob....Rob!

Ellie said...

oops, nevermind, Jules...it was Pee-Wee!

Dani said...

You see why its my fave. This guy is simply amazing, to have such a unique and honest take on the industry at such a young age. Wow, he is going places. He is a unique. Utterly different and fascinating.

Kate said...

Brilliant interview Dani, Thanks for posting. Can SO see why its your fave!;-)

Kate said...

Have to get my hands on the soundtrack (especially after seeing the baseball scene) I think it's out here on Wednesday (rolls eyes).
I still don't understand why the release date is later here lots of other movies are released on the same day (goes to pout in a corner for a while):-(

Dani said...

Kate itunes that business. Its like 11.99. Good stuff.

Emily said...

"...I didn't do anything for a year, I just sat on the roof and played music...it was like the best time I had ever had."

That is a lovely image. For some reason I'm picturing him sitting in a lawn chair wearing his black zip pants and his white(ish) t-shirt. Oh, and he definitely has a beanie on. Hmm...not bad at all.

Cool interview. Thanks for sharing! He certainly is wise beyond his years. I'm always blown away by his honesty and his complexity. Just some of the many wonderful things he has to offer.

"He said all the press is tiring and he has 'an overwhelming urge to say something really terrible' every time he has to face 1,000 screaming 14-year-olds." Lol! Don't we all, Rob. No one would blame you, either.

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday, Lynn!
luv,
Jovie

Kate said...

Thanks Dani ;-)
Ok don't laugh but I don't own an ipod {blush} I just never really needed one but I'm getting one for Christmas, I'm finally giving in. God I feel so behind the times and so old LOL

Ellie said...

Rob is so deep, intelligent, and wise beyond his years. It's going to take a special woman to keep him interested and satisfied and intellectually-stimulated.

Kate said...

I guess Giselle is not the woman then is she Ellie??? ;-)

La Stella said...

I'm with Dani on this one.. it's my favorite interview because he comes across as such an intelligent young man. It's nice to see that aspect of him.

Lynn-- I've said it before, but HAPPY BIRTHDAY GORGEOUS! Lots of hugs and kisses for you :)

Kate said...

Yeap Definitely have to agree there. I also love how he seems to have kind of fallen in to the acting, it wasn't hs chosen path so to speak but he has a true talent for it and I'm glad it's being recognised!! WOuld love to see him with his own company now, I think the world is his oyster so it will no longer be a dream!

Ellie said...

Kate--No, apparently not! lol

He needs someone like, like, like ME! hahaha

La Stella said...

Robert leaving NYC with new clothes, minus the fugly white bag.


http://www.celebrity-gossip.net/celebrities/hollywood/robert-pattinson-box-office-king-at-jfk-209212/

Dani said...

Thank you Stella-D babe I saw them over at imdb but I won't be back onto my computer til later going to see Twilight again. If Goz doesnt pop on and post them I will. Looks like a new pair of pants and shirt.

Or maybe he just washed them????

Kate said...

Gosh he sure gets around, doesn't he??

Jewels64 said...

Dani, just sent Goz the Life & Style cover story scan on Rob and Kristen! Do you want me to send it to you?

La Stella said...

Dani I envy you. My sister doesn't want to let me see Twilight again. She is making me see the Houdini movie (someone please shoot me).

And it does look like a new shirt.. but knowing Rob, the bodyguards probably stole the clothes to wash them with Rob throwing a tantrum.

Kate-- that comment brought to me so much images. Gah!

Amy said...

Hi Girls!

Just got back from the movie AGAIN :) ...and the theater was packed AGAIN! Always a good sign.

This is an excellent interview. Rob is seriously perfect. He just has so many layers to him. I can't even express how intensely attractive that is (well to me anyway) ;) I mean he's sexy and smart, yeah he's just incredible.

Kat said...

Dani - I agree, that's a great interview. Different than all the rest. The guy just gets better after each and every interview...

Third time around with the movie was wonderful today. I'm taking the hubby to see it over TG I hope, he's intrigued and a little wierded out over how many times I've seen it already...

Anonymous said...

Great interview! Thanks for posting this Dani! Can't wait to see what projects will come out of his future production company. I really do believe he's got the will and the talent to get that off the ground.

Tess said...

The man needs some help and some really good people around him.

He sounds fragile.

Disappear and get some rest Rob.

Jenny said...

I hear ya Tess. Saw the pictures of him in the JFK, and for some reason I felt so sad. In my imagination he is taking a flight to some Eastern European hideout where he can walk the streets and get a pint without being followed.

 
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